Americans have always respected the concept of an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work, but we also believe in helping those who are less fortunate. Many Americans believe the government dispenses public aid based on the principle of giving a hand up, not a handout.

Others are convinced that welfare programs are bankrupting the nation because they are riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse. Some even say welfare programs are counterproductive, hurting the very people they are supposed to help by creating a culture of dependency. Poor people are poor because they don’t work, or don’t work hard enough, and providing them a living enables and encourages laziness.

Do programs like welfare actually enable bad behavior in the “lazy” poor? Are there instances where these programs are wasteful and need to be reevaluated? Is it possible to find a balance between helping those in need while also minding the budget and encouraging self-sufficiency?

We’ve all heard it before: someone told a friend of a friend that they saw a designer jewelry-clad woman carrying a brand-new iPhone, who then whipped out her food stamp card to pay for her groceries. But this so-called welfare queen, who is allegedly living high on...

Myth: Americans believe welfare is a huge part of the budget, and estimate that we spend four times the actual price tag. Fact: Welfare is less than 15% of discretionary spending. Myth: Americans believe welfare mostly goes to lazy people. Fact: Welfare goes mostly...

To the Honorable Edward R. Royce, I am disappointed in your recent vote against the extension of unemployment insurance and I urge you to vote for any new bills that provide not only unemployment benefits, but any short-term stimulus measures such as infrastructure...